the country doctor- 第30部分

〃I　could　not　manage　to　wash　his　shirts　to…day；　sir；　I　had　to　take　the　hemp　over　to　Grenoble；　as　we　wanted　the　money。〃

〃Very　well；　then；　I　will　send　you　some　shirts。〃

〃Then　is　he　worse；　my　poor　lad？〃　asked　the　woman。

〃He　has　been　so　imprudent　as　to　sing；　Mother　Colas；　and　it　is　not　to　be　expected　that　any　good　can　come　of　it；　but　do　not　be　hard　upon　him；　nor　scold　him。　Do　not　be　down…hearted　about　it；　and　if　Jacques　complains　overmuch；　send　a　neighbor　to　fetch　me。　Good…bye。〃

The　doctor　called　to　his　friend；　and　they　went　back　along　the　foot…　path。

〃Is　that　little　peasant　consumptive？〃　asked　Genestas。

〃Mon　Dieu！　yes；〃　answered　Benassis。　〃Science　cannot　save　him；　unless　Nature　works　a　miracle。　Our　professors　at　the　Ecole　de　Medecine　in　Paris　often　used　to　speak　to　us　of　the　phenomenon　which　you　have　just　witnessed。　Some　maladies　of　this　kind　bring　about　changes　in　the　voice…producing　organs　that　give　the　sufferer　a　short…lived　power　of　song　that　no　trained　voice　can　surpass。　I　have　made　you　spend　a　melancholy　day；　sir；〃　said　the　doctor　when　he　was　once　more　in　the　saddle。　〃Suffering　and　death　everywhere；　but　everywhere　also　resignation。　All　these　peasant　folk　take　death　philosophically；　they　fall　ill；　say　nothing　about　it；　and　take　to　their　beds　like　dumb　animals。　But　let　us　say　no　more　about　death；　and　let　us　quicken　our　horses'　paces　a　little；　we　ought　to　reach　the　town　before　nightfall；　so　that　you　may　see　the　new　quarter。〃

〃Eh！　some　place　is　on　fire　over　there；〃　said　Genestas；　pointing　to　a　spot　on　the　mountain；　where　a　sheaf　of　flames　was　rising。

〃It　is　not　a　dangerous　fire。　Our　lime…burner　is　heating　his　kiln；　no　doubt。　It　is　a　newly…started　industry；　which　turns　our　heather　to　account。〃

There　was　the　sudden　report　of　a　gun；　followed　by　an　involuntary　exclamation　from　Benassis；　who　said；　with　an　impatient　gesture；　〃If　that　is　Butifer；　we　shall　see　which　of　us　two　is　the　stronger。〃

〃The　shot　came　from　that　quarter；〃　said　Genestas；　indicating　a　beech…　wood　up　above　them　on　the　mountain　side。　〃Yes；　up　there；　you　may　trust　an　old　soldier's　ear。〃

〃Let　us　go　there　at　once！〃　cried　Benassis；　and　he　made　straight　for　the　little　wood；　urging　his　horse　at　a　furious　speed　across　the　ditches　and　fields；　as　if　he　were　riding　a　steeplechase；　in　his　anxiety　to　catch　the　sportsman　red…handed。

〃The　man　you　are　after　has　made　off；〃　shouted　Genestas；　who　could　scarcely　keep　up　with　him。

Benassis　wheeled　his　horse　round　sharply；　and　came　back　again。　The　man　of　whom　he　was　in　search　soon　appeared　on　the　top　of　a　perpendicular　crag；　a　hundred　feet　above　the　level　of　the　two　horsemen。

〃Butifer！〃　shouted　Benassis　when　he　saw　that　this　figure　carried　a　fowling…piece；　〃come　down！〃

Butifer　recognized　the　doctor；　and　replied　by　a　respectful　and　friendly　sign　which　showed　that　he　had　every　intention　of　obeying。

〃I　can　imagine　that　if　a　man　were　driven　to　it　by　fear　or　by　some　overmastering　impulse　that　he　might　possibly　contrive　to　scramble　up　to　that　point　among　the　rocks；〃　said　Genestas；　〃but　how　will　he　manage　to　come　down　again？〃

〃I　have　no　anxiety　on　that　score；〃　answered　Benassis；　〃the　wild　goats　must　feel　envious　of　that　fellow　yonder！　You　will　see。〃

The　emergencies　of　warfare　had　accustomed　the　commandant　to　gauge　the　real　worth　of　men；　he　admired　the　wonderful　quickness　of　Butifer's　movements；　the　sure…footed　grace　with　which　the　hunter　swung　himself　down　the　rugged　sides　of　the　crag；　to　the　top　of　which　he　had　so　boldly　climbed。　The　strong；　slender　form　of　the　mountaineer　was　gracefully　poised　in　every　attitude　which　the　precipitous　nature　of　the　path　compelled　him　to　assume；　and　so　certain　did　he　seem　of　his　power　to　hold　on　at　need；　that　if　the　pinnacle　of　rock　on　which　he　took　his　stand　had　been　a　level　floor；　he　could　not　have　set　his　foot　down　upon　it　more　calmly。　He　carried　his　fowling…piece　as　if　it　had　been　a　light　walking…cane。　Butifer　was　a　young　man　of　middle　height；　thin；　muscular；　and　in　good　training；　his　beauty　was　of　a　masculine　order；　which　impressed　Genestas　on　a　closer　view。

Evidently　he　belonged　to　the　class　of　smugglers　who　ply　their　trade　without　resorting　to　violent　courses；　and　who　only　exert　patience　and　craft　to　defraud　the　government。　His　face　was　manly　and　sunburned。　His　eyes；　which　were　bright　as　an　eagle's；　were　of　a　clear　yellow　color；　and　his　sharply…cut　nose　with　its　slight　curve　at　the　tip　was　very　much　like　an　eagle's　beak。　His　cheeks　were　covered　with　down；　his　red　lips　were　half　open；　giving　a　glimpse　of　a　set　of　teeth　of　dazzling　whiteness。　His　beard；　moustache；　and　the　reddish　whiskers；　which　he　allowed　to　grow；　and　which　curled　naturally；　still　further　heightened　the　masculine　and　forbidding　expression　of　his　face。　Everything　about　him　spoke　of　strength。　He　was　broad…chested；　constant　activity　had　made　the　muscles　of　his　hands　curiously　firm　and　prominent。　There　was　the　quick　intelligence　of　a　savage　about　his　glances；　he　looked　resolute；　fearless；　and　imperturbable；　like　a　man　accustomed　to　put　his　life　in　peril；　and　whose　physical　and　mental　strength　had　been　so　often　tried　by　dangers　of　every　kind；　that　he　no　longer　felt　any　doubts　about　himself。　He　wore　a　blouse　that　had　suffered　a　good　deal　from　thorns　and　briars；　and　he　had　a　pair　of　leather　soles　bound　to　his　feet　by　eel…skin　thongs；　and　a　pair　of　torn　and　tattered　blue　linen　breeches　through　which　his　legs　were　visible；　red；　wiry；　hard；　and　muscular　as　those　of　a　stag。

〃There　you　see　the　man　who　once　fired　a　shot　at　me；〃　Benassis　remarked　to　the　commandant　in　a　low　voice。　〃If　at　this　moment　I　were　to　signify　to　him　my　desire　to　be　rid　of　any　one；　he　would　kill　them　without　scruple。Butifer！〃　he　went　on；　addressing　the　poacher；　〃I　fully　believed　you　to　be　a　man　of　your　word；　I　pledged　mine　for　you　because　I　had　your　promise。　My　promise　to　the　procureur　du　roi　at　Grenoble　was　based　upon　your　vow　never　to　go　poaching　again；　and　to　turn　over　a　new　leaf　and　become　a　steady；　industrious　worker。　You　fired　that　shot　just　now；　and　here　you　are；　on　the　Comte　de　Labranchoir's　estate！　Eh！　you　miscreant？　Suppose　his　keeper　had　happened　to　hear　you？　It　is　a　lucky　thing　for　you　that　I　shall　take　no　formal　cognizance　of　this　offence；　if　I　did；　you　would　come　up　as　an　old　offender；　and　of　course　you　have　no　gun　license！　I　let　you　keep　that　gun　of　yours　out　of　tenderness　for　your　attachment　to　the　weapon。〃

〃It　is　a　beauty；〃　said　the　commandant；　who　recognized　a　duck　gun　from　Sainte　Etienne。

The　smuggler　raised　his　head　and　looked　at　Genestas　by　way　of　acknowledging　the　compliment。

〃Butifer；〃　continued　Benassis；　〃if　your　conscience　does　not　reproach　you；　it　ought　to　do　so。　If　you　are　going　to　begin　your　old　tricks　again；　you　will　find　yourself　once　more　in　a　park　enclosed　by　four　stone　walls；　and　no　power　on　earth　will　save　you　from　the　hulks；　you　will　be　a　marked　man；　and　your　character　will　be　ruined。　Bring　your　gun　to　me　to…night；　I　will　take　care　of　it　for　you。〃

Butifer　gripped　the　barrel　of　his　weapon　in　a　convulsive　clutch。

〃You　are　right；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　done　wrong；　I　have　broken　bounds；　I　am　a　cur。　My　gun　ought　to　go　to　you；　but　when　you　take　it　away　from　me；　you　take　all　that　I　have　in　the　world。　The　last　shot　which　my　mother's　son　will　fire　shall　be　through　my　own　head。　。　。　。　What　would　you　have？　I　did　as　you　wanted　me。　I　kept　quiet　all　winter；　but　the　spring　came；　and　the　sap　rose。　I　am　not　used　to　day　labor。　It　is　not　in　my　nature　to　spend　my　life　in　fattening　fowls；　I　cannot　stoop　about　turning　over　the　soil　for　vegetables；　nor　flourish　a　whip　and　drive　a　cart；　nor　scrub　down　a　horse　in　a　stable　all　my　life；　so　I　must　die　of　starvation；　I　suppose？　I　am　only　happy　when　I　am　up　there；〃　he　went　on　after　a　pause；　pointing　to　the　mountains。　〃And　I　have　been　about　among　the　hills　for　the　past　week；　I　got　a　sight　of　a　chamois；　and　I　have　the　chamois　there；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　top　of　the　crag；　〃it　is　at　your　service！　Dear　M。　Benassis；　leave　me　my　gun。　Listen！　I　will　leave　the　Commune；　foi　de　Butifer！　I　will　go　to　the　Alps；　the　chamois…hunters　will　not　say　a　word；　on　the　contrary；　they　will　receive　me　with　open　arms。　I　shall　come　to　grief　at　the　bottom　of　some　glacier；　but；　if　I　am　to　speak　my　mind；　I　would　rather　live　for　a　couple　of　years　among　the　heights；　where　there　are　no　governments；　nor　excisemen；　nor　gamekeepers；　nor　procureurs　du　roi；　than　grovel　in　a　marsh　for　a　century。　You　are　the　only　one　that　I　shall　be　sorry　to　leave　behind；　all　the　rest　of　them　bore　me！　When　you　are　in　the　right；　at　any　rate　you　don't　worry　one's　life　out〃

〃And　how　about　Louise？〃　asked　Benassis。　Butifer　paused　and　turned　thoughtful。

〃Eh！　learn　to　read　and　write；　my　lad；〃　said　Genestas；　〃come　and　enlist　in　my　regiment；　have　a　horse　to　ride；　and　turn　carabineer。　If　they　once　sound　'to　horse'　for　something　like　a　war；　you　will　find　out　that　Providence　made　you　to　live　in　the　midst　of　cannon；　bullets；　and　battalions；　and　they　will　make　a　general　of　you。〃

〃Ye…es；　if　Napoleon　was　back　again；〃　answered　Butifer。

〃You　know　our　agreement；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃At　the　second　infraction　of　it；　you　undertook　to　go　for　a　soldier。　I　give　you　six　months　in　which　to　learn　to　read　and　write；　and　then　I　will　fin